In 2020 and beyond, we will not be so far behind our richer neighbours, like Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. These three countries are fill with internal problems from corruption, slow economic growth and radical islam insurgerncy. We can take advange of that. The economic gap will be smaller in 2020 and beyond.

It will take 30 years for Vietnam to even be at Thailand´s level today, assuming Thailand will have zero growth. Vietnam is suffering from a huge brain drain because their best and brightest, especially the girls, love to stay in America after graduation to marry a fine Viet Kieu stud like myself. The economy runs on cheap labour and environmentally polluting industries which no Western countries could tolerate. Most investment portfolios revolve around real estate and SOEs which really do not create jobs.

It has been a while since I visited Jakarta but comparing Bangkok and Saigon today, Saigon is far behind. Hanoi is like 15 years behind Saigon since they still throw communist style opera for something as mundane as opening a fish processing factory. Andy in the film Shawshank Redemption said that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. The only way to truly feel optimistic about Vietnam is to completely lose hope for the mother country. And if Vietnam does improve, then it is an improbable yet pleasant surprise.

Thailand's GDP per capita is currently twice that of Vietnam. Last year Thailand's GDP growth was about 3% and Vietnam was about 6%. If both countries were to continue with those annual growth rates, how long will it take for Vietnam's GDP per capita to match Thailand's?

Lol, I love the hint. It is like you want me to cheat. Typical commie type problem solving. China is not going to be rich and they have numerous opportunities and stupendous historical growth. Do you think Vietnam is going to be any different? Beating dirt poor low IQ southeast Asian countries is nothing amazing. Vietnamese Americans now compete with super smart Jews in all endeavors and we will soon prevail to rule the USA, a superpower that is going to stay superpower for the next 50 years. Vietnam will not even make top 15 economy in the next 50 years even when its population max out to Japan´s current level. In military terms, China needs another 15 years to even be at Japan´s current level. Japan is rearming and will soon emerge as Asia´s military hegemon.

Thailand's GDP per capita is currently twice that of Vietnam. Last year Thailand's GDP growth was about 3% and Vietnam was about 6%. If both countries were to continue with those annual growth rates, how long will it take for Vietnam's GDP per capita to match Thailand's?